Binder.



No. 770,821. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

' R. S. ROBSON & H. U. BLAOKMER.

BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1903.

maul-nun l l 1 Wm,

\A/IT ESSEE No. 770,821. Patented September 27, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ROBERT S. ROBSON, OF SOMERVILLE, AND HERBERT O. BLAOKMER, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO CLARKE LOOSE LEAF BOOK COMPANY, OF KITTERY, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,821, dated September 27, 1904.

Application filed July 13, 1903. Serial No. 165,284. (No model.)

T all whflm it y 0011067711 cation in thepost structure. Fig. 7 shows in Be it known that we, ROBERT S. RoBsoN, of vertical cross-section the post structure fitted Somerville, and HERBERT O. BLACKMER, of with locking means, to which reference will Melrose, in the county of Middlesex, State of hereinafter be made. Fig. 8 shows the same 5 Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, in plan. Fig. 9 shows, mainly in vertical have invented a new and usefulImprovement cross-section, the post structure fitted with in Binders, of which the following is a full, means for limiting the extent of its adjust- 55 clear, and exact description, reference being ment, to which special reference will hereinhad to the accompanying drawings, forming after be made. a part'of this specification, in explaining its Referring to the drawings, with general nature. reference the post structure comprises a cy- Our invention relates to an improvement in lindrical body portion A and flange-forming 60 loose-leafbinders, and especially to the post head portions A A The body of the post structure thereof or to that portion of the structure supports the loose sheets B in the I5 binder upon which the loose sheets are imusual manner by extending through aperpaled and which furnishes the main support tures cut therein, while the heads thereof A for the bound parts. A draw flange-like against the binder plates 5 Owing to the varying numbers of loose or covers B B with which the loose sheets sheets in a loose-leaf binder, it is necessary are usually provided. In some binders the that the post structure be extensible, that it postmight be fixed directly to the binder may be made commensurate with the thickplates or covers, which would act as heads ness of the bound sheets. At the same time for the posts relatively to the bound parts, or 7 0 the structure of the post should be such that by making the post-heads with widely-extendthe extensible portion thereof when extended ing flanges they may bear directly against the may present the same relative bearing to the loose sheets and be all that is necessary to hold loose sheets which come contiguous therewith them bound in place. We have shownexamples as does the main structure of the post, this in of such structure in Fig. 6, the upper end of order that the loose sheets when bound may the post being there shown fixed directly to lie regularly in proper vertical alinement with the binder-plate, while the lower end is shown 3 one another regardless of whether they are fitted with a widely-flaring head. Such refsupported by the main structure of the post erence is thus made to the so-called heads or by the extensible portion thereof. of the post structure for the purpose of show- Our invention accordingly consists in an ing that the relative size or laterally-flaring improved extensible or adjustable binder-post extension thereof is of immaterial conse- 35 of the character specified. Its various details quence in so far asthe purpose of our invenof construction andincidental capabilities can tion is concerned, and by the term head best be seen and understood by description in we desire it to be understood in this specifi- 5 detail, referring at the same time to the drawcation and the appended claims as referring ings accompanying such specification and to any lateral extension with which the body 4 forming a part thereof, wherein of the post structure is fitted at either end.

Figure 1 shows our improved structure in The post-body A has a built-up structure elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 show in elevation comprising a main section a, made relatively 9 portions thereof, to which reference will herelong, and one or more separable or auxiliary inafter be made. Fig. 4L shows the post strucsections a, by the use of which the post-body 45 ture in vertical cross-section. Fig. 5 shows may be extended or retracted with a variable in plan a portion thereof, to which reference degree of extension or retraction. The main will hereinafter be made. Fig. 6 is a view, section a is made with a threaded hole (1 exmainly in elevation, showing a slight modifitending longitudinally through it. The sections at are made alike and they are so formed that any one of them may be joined directly to the main section or they may be joined to each other. Such connection is obtained by forming each section a with a threaded portion aiprojecting from one end thereof, and Which portion is adapted to screw for a short distance into the threaded hole formed in the main section, whereby any separable section a may be joined thereto, or into a threaded hole afiwhich is formed in the rear end of each separable section, whereby the several separable sections may be joined to one another. The essentialadvantage of this means of connection is that the post structure may be built up from any one of the separable sections a without the necessity of choosing any one to fit any particular place.

The post-heads A A are both shown having a screw connection with the post-body, and this especially with reference to the head A, whichxconnects with the main body-section a thereof, for by means of such screw connection the graduated adjustment of the post-body is primarily obtained. Referring, therefore, to the screw connection of the posthead A, said head is provided with a screw member a, which passes through said head and screws with its long threaded shank into the threaded hole (0 extending longitudinally through the main body-section a, as before referred to. The head of the screw 0 is preferably countersunk into the post-head, and the screw is adapted to be turned from the outside thereof in any suitable manner. It

is shown fitted with a slot, whereby the screw may be driven by a screw-driver, or it may be fitted so as to be driven by anyother suitable tool. The head of the screw may, however, be formed, as in Fig. 7 to have a thumbscrew extension a, whereby the screw may be turned by hand without the need of any auxiliary tool. The screw a turns freely within and so independently of the post-head a; but it is to be noted that the shank of the screw is slightly upset at the point (0 against the under side of the post-head, so that as the screw is turned said post-head is carried to and from the post-body. With the post-head A thus made adjustable and for the purpose of making, as it were, a portion of the postbody to be adjustable therewith we have formed the post-head with a series of pins or like members a projecting from the under side thereof. These pins are so disposed as to combine with the post-body by fitting into grooves a", running longitudinally along the surface of the main body-sectiona. The pins a have substantially the same length as the grooves a in which they are contained, so that when the post-head A is screwed down flush with the main body-section these pins form practically a part of thepost-body, filling as they do the grooves formed in its main section and being finished so as to complete the continuity of its rounding surface. The effect is therefore that when these pins are drawn from their grooves by the outward adjustment of the post-head to which they are attached they form, as it were, a continuation or graduated adjustable extension of the postbody, which presents the same relative bearing for the paper as is presented by the main body of the post, wherefore the loose sheets which come in alinement or contiguous with said pins or adjustable portion of the post-body will be held in the same vertical alinement with the loose sheets supported by its main body. It is also to be noted that the grooves a are formed with a rounding interior, so that when the pins are contained in them they will be held against any lateral displacement.

With reference to the post-head A this also preferably has a screw connection with the post-body, or, rather, with any one of the sections thereof. The head is shown provided with a screw a the head of which is countersunk into said post-head, while the shank of the screw-extends through the same and fastens into a post-section a by screwing into its threaded hole a before referred to. The screw a is slightlyu-pset at the point a to bear against its post-head, with the effect that when the screw fastens into the end of the post-body the head is secured thereto, but without the necessity-of the head turning. The head (3 might well be made as an integral part or be otherwise fixed to the postbody; but by making it have a screw connection therewith it becomes especially adapted to be used with the post structure having a built-up construction, for it may be secured to any sectionthereof.

It is obvious that with a means like we have shown for obtaining the adjustable extension of the post-body that it need not have'a builtup structure but might be integrally or otherwise made without the use of separable sections. In such case the pins a forming the adjustable extension of the post-body, would have a longer relative extension with respect thereto than shown. This, however, is only a matter of degree. We prefer to build up the post structure by using the separable sections for the reason that a lesser adjustment of the post-body is necessary to obtain its proper extension, for as the bound portions of the bookbecome widened an auxiliary section may be interposed, so extending the postbody, and any further extension or retraction necessary to make the post-body properly commensurate with the bound portions may be made up by a graduated adjustment thereof. Certainly by making the post-body extensible by the addition of auxiliary sections, and at the same time partly adjustable, a very efficient post structure is obtained as regards the graduated adjustment of the post structure, among its capabilities is noted the fact that its extension or retraction of the adjustable portion of the postbody is obtained through its post-head or on the outside of the binder relative to the bound portions, for the head of the screw a by which the adjustment is obtained, is there accessible. This is of great advantage by reason of the fact that the adjustment of the post structure can at this point be very easily obtained. Then by using a screw for obtaining the adjustment of the post-body there is the advantage that not only can a graduated adjustment be obtained, but the adjustable portion of the body can be held fixed at any point of adjusted position. The draft of the screw canalso be utilized for the purpose of binding the bound parts more closely together.

In Figs. 7 and 8 we have shown a means by which the adjustable portion of the post-body may be locked at various points of adjusted position. This result is obtained by locking the screw a to the post-head A, through which it extends, for, as before explained, it is by turning the screw (0 that the adjustment of the adjustable portion of the post-body is obtained. A look is obtained as follows: A hole or socket a is formed in the post-head at a point where the spring-pressed pin a contained therein will normally bear against the head of the adj usting-screw,-and so that when the screw is turned the pin will project from its socket in the post-head to fit into a hole or socket a, formed in the head of the screw in alinement with said pin. The pin a thus connecting the post and screw-heads prevents the screw from being turned, with the effect that the adjustable extension of the post-body is prevented until the pin is pressed back into its socket in the post-head, when of course the screw can turn and an adjustment of the post-body be obtained. The pin a is pressed back away from its connection with the screw-head into its socket in the post-head, so releasing the screw that it may turn, by means of a key C, which is inserted through a hole at, extending through the head of the screw, to connect with the socket a formed therein, which receives the pin. The hole formed through the screw-head and the key shows a peculiarity of formation in the fact that the key can be inserted into the hole only a distance sufficient to press back the.

engaging pin just free from its connection with the screw-head. This effect is obtained by forming the hole extending through the screwhead to have an edge a, which defines the extent of the keys insertion. This edge is formed by making one portion of the hole of larger bore than the other. Then by forming the key to have a shoulder a to engage with the edge a, formed in the hole a, as aforesaid, and with a projecting portion 0 of a length just sufficient to extend beyond said edge through the socket (0 formed in the screw-head to the outer surface thereof, the pin a engaging therewith maybe pressed back into its socket in the post-head and the screw released to freely turn. Of course the key C must be held in the screw-head during the turning of the screw, else the pin normally bearing against the same would enter into its socket a every time the screw was turned. On this account the hole through the screw-head is preferably made with a threaded portion a", whereby the key may be held fixed in place upon its insertion and without the necessity of manually holding it in place during the turning of the screw. We have shown the lock fitted with the screw having the thumb portion a formed on its head, but of course the lock can very well be used with the screw having its head countersunk, as shown in Fig. 4:, for example. It is obvious that our improved post structure can be used with or without a lock. When used with a lock, the post forms not only a very efiicient binder-post as such, but might well be used to take the place of the binder-locks, so called, which are now ordinarily used in binders as auxiliary to the post structure.

Referring again to the adjustment of the post-body by means of the screw (b the post structure might well be supplemented by a means which would prevent the screw being entirely disengaged or the adjustable portion of the post-body being withdrawn from the main portion thereof. As illustrative of such means we have shown in Fig. 9 one of the pins a which forms a part of the adjustable portion of the post-body, being flattened in part upon its back side, so as to leave a shoulder to, which is adapted to draw against a pin a, passed diagonally through the postbody near the end thereof and so as to act as a stop for the withdrawal of the pin by the engagement of its shoulder therewith, as before described, so preventing any further adjustment of the screw a and defining the limitation of adjustment of the adjustable portion of the post-body.

Having thus fully described our invention,

we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A binder-post comprising a body and a head at either end thereof, a screw for fastening one of said heads to its end of the post structure whereby said head may be adjusted to and from the same, and a member or members secured to said head to be adjustable therewith, which member or members extend to combine with the main post-body so as to form practically an adjustable portion thereof, substantially as described.

2. A binder-post comprising a body and head at either end thereof, a screw for fastening one of said heads to its end of the post structure whereby saidhead may be adjusted to and from the same, and a member or members secured to said head and adjustable therewith, which member or members combine with the main post-body by extending into grooves formed longitudinally in the surface thereof.

3. A binder-post comprising'a body and a head at either end thereof, a screw having a relatively long shank for securing one of said heads to its end of the post-body, means for securing said head to said screw whereby the screw may turn independently of said head, but said head be adjustably carried thereby, and a series of pins or like members secured to said head and extending therefrom to combine with said post-body by extending into grooves formed longitudinally along the surface thereof.

4. A binder-post having a body a portion of which is made adjustable, a head secured to said adjustable portion of the post-body, and means for obtaining an adjustment of said adjustable portion of the post-body through its said head.

5. A binder-post having a body, an adjust-- able head at one end thereof, a screw passing through said head, screwing into the end of the post-body, and means for securing said head to said screw whereby the screw may turn independently of the head, but said head be adjustably carried thereby.

6. A binder-post comprising a body having a main and an adjustable portion adapted to be extended longitudinally in alinement with the surface edge of the main portion, and means for obtaining the adjustment of said adjustable portion of the post-body and for holding the same fixed at any point of adjusted position.

7. A binder-post having abody and an adjustable head at one end thereof, a screw passing through said head into the end of the post-body while the head of said screw pro jects to form a thumb portion whereby said screw may be turned from outside the posthead and an adjustment of the same obtained substantially as described.

8. A binder-post having a body, a head joined to one end of said post-body, a screw for obtaining such retention of the head by passing through the same and screwing into the end of the post-body, means for securing said head to said screw whereby the screw may turn independently of said head but said head be adjustably carried thereby, and a lock re- A leasable by a key for locking said screw to said head whereby it cannot turn therein unless released.

9. A binder-post having a body, a head joined to one end of said post-body, a screw for obtaining such retention of the head by passing through the same and screwing into the end of the post-body, means for securing said head to said screw whereby the screw may turn independently of said head but said head be adjustably carried thereby, and a lock for locking said screw to said post-head whereby it cannot turn therein, the same comprisinga spring-pressed pin carried by the post-head adapted to connect with the screw-head by extending into a socket formed therein, and means for releasing said pin through the head of said screw in a manner, substantially as described.

' 10. A binder-post comprising a main and an adjustable portion, said adjustable portion of the post structure comprising a plurality of members joined together and combining with the main portion of the post structure by extending into grooves formed'longitudinally in the surface thereof, and from which grooves said members are adapted to be adjustably withdrawn, means for obtaining such adjustment of the adjustable portion of the post structure, and means for limiting the extension of such adjustment.

11. A binder-post having a main and an adjustable portion, said adjustable portion of the post structure comprising a plurality of members joined together and combining with the main portion of the post structure by extending into grooves formed longitudinally in the surface thereof, a head with which said adjustable portion of the post-body is fitted, and means for effecting the adjustment of said adjustable portion of the post body and head.

12. A binder-post having a main and an adjustable portion, said adjustable portion of the post structure comprising a plurality of members joined together and combined with the main portion of the post structure by extend-' ing into grooves formed longitudinally in the surface thereof, a screw for obtaining the adjustment of said adjustable portion of the post structure, and means for limiting the extent of adjustment of the same, substantially as described.

ROBERT s. RoBsoN. HERBERT c. BLACKMER.

In presence of- J. M. DoLAN, SAUL SIrPERsTEIN. 

